The Bottineau pioneer. (Bottineau, N.D.) 1885-1895, 1887-02-10
GREAT BATTLE PICTURE.
Some observations on the Beauties and Rea,isfJ
Of the Gettysburg Spectacular Panorama.

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Some Oservations on the Beauties and Rea,isfPJ9
Of the Gettysburg Spectacular Panorama.
st. Paul Dispatch: Although hundredso 81
citizens OF st Pual and strangers visit the
great Gettysburg panorama at the corner,
OF Sixth and 81. Peter streets every day,
there are thousands more who have not
yet realized the splendid ATTRACTIONS of
this matchless spectacular exhibition
They pass it by as an unexciting sort Of
show-good, but not ex%hilarating. On the
contrary there is no theater in all the
country where SO exciting a tragedy holds
the boards.
On the wonderful canvas OF the Gettys-
burg picture is portrayed one of the realities
ofhistory. What are sham griefs and
mock tears compared to the reality Of that
fierce onslaught which fixed the nation'st
destiny, turned the babbling brooks to-
blood, and planted the crimson flower Of,
death broadcast along it's wooded hillsls
The griefs OF the footlight world are soon!
forgotten, out the griefs that sprang to-
life from Gettysburg field shall never find,
Arrangement within thousands OF stricken
hearts until the peace OF eternal years en-
folds them. ~ - ~
The picture represents the decisive ac-
lion Of July 8, 1868. 1t was painted by
artists who thoroughly posted themselves.
as to the location OF troops, the landscape
and other details OF the fight as it actual
~ took place. By such care they were en-
abled to reproduce the maneuvers of that
dreadful day, SO, that, looking upon the
work, we can not realize that we are gazing,
only upon mechanical effects. The area OF
the picture is 10000 square feet. The,
wonderful blending of effects in the fore.ts
ground so deceives the eye that one can
not separate the real from the unreal.
Entering the unique building in which
the painting is or exhibition, through q
dark passage, you grope your way. until
the ascent OF an unlighted stairway ushers
you suddenly into a new region. You have
left the streets of St. Paul behind you,
and penetrated one of PENNSYLVANIA
loveliest valleys. About you lie wooded
hills that belt with living green a stretch OF
fields and meadows. An old rail fence zig.
Tags across the foreground. The illusion
is perfect as your eye takes in the swarm
ing blue-coats and the ,upspringing uni.
forms OF grey confronting them.
Taking your standpoint at the exact,
center OF the scene OF action, you soon losel
thought of'all the world but the excitinpl
sweep OF events about you. The horses
actually seem to be alive; their wild eyes
fuli OF splendid courage and dauntless de-
sire. Rosa Bonheur never painted a better
scene OF animal life in action. Every
muscle stands out like whip-corde. Under
q copse to the south of & central stand.
point the never.to-be-forgotten charge OF
General Pickett and his desperate men is
in progress-a charge which proved the
tide-water mark OF the rebellion, from
which it slowly ebbed to it's close. You
n a - n lev oct loa~ %l,o char ,,ls.k1 L-1@&
let's and the u%nceasing a OF batteries, as
the carnage is at it's height. From the
pale lips OF wounded men you seem to,
catch the pitiful cry OF their agony; and,
the last shudder which convulsed thei
features OF the dead, seems yet to haunt,
the air.
All aboutyou look where you will, brave
boys are falling thick as leaves in an au-
tumn storm. Up from the meadows u re-
Enforcement of gray coats, 1900 strong,
is trampiing the blossoming grasses under
foot. Each man is as thoroughly in ear
nest as men are sure to be, when some ia.
tai moment unlooses the bulldog passions
in their souls. Their front is like the crest
OF an angry sea. Takeyour glass andlook
closely at this magnificent charge. Under
the strongest glass, the most distant hui
man figures mot larger than c~ockroaches
on the actual %canvas) stand out clear, dis
tinct, artistic and life-sized, thus vastly
charging the scope OF vision.
Through the very thickest Of the battle a
magnificent horse is flying, riderless. His
gallant master lies somewhere in the red
storm OF death, but he, with head erect
and strained blood shot eye, is seeking
safety, he knows not where. Away from
the tangle Of white faces, and pale, out.
stretched hands; away from the scream Of
bursting shells; away from the wars tur-
moil to the peace of the hills, the frighten-
ed horse, they tell us, found his way at
last to safety and an honored old age. The
event was an actual occurrence ofthatday
of horror.
Perhaps the feature which appeals most
strongly to the local beholders is the vivid
portrayal of the historic charge OF the gal
liant old First Minnesota regiment
This regiment is truthfully and graphical
ly portrayed rushing heorically to the
flaming front, under the leadership OF the
brave Col. Colvill, who was desperately
wounded in this battle, and yet survives,
zen of RedSNing. The colonel and Il large
number OF the men OF the old First" are
painted from photographs, and the like
nesses are readily recognized. The bat
tie flag OF the Twenty. eighth Virginia regi-
ment. which led the charge Of Pickett's
division, and is correctly painted in it's,
place in the picture, lies in the, fore.
RTOuHu. IL WdS CApbuFeU Oy MdrSQall3
Sherman, OF st. Paul, a member OF the
First Minnesota, and by him loaned to the
panorama company.
The canvas presents for us but one mo-
ment-an eternal moment!-of the struggle
that waged so fiercely for three long sum
mer days. But it strikes that one moment
SO sharpely, it holds it forth so grandly,
and immortalizes it SO completely that, to
see the picture is to the thoughtful soul a
fl11 ra va1ofinn If n dirof11f@ uot &o1o ~ ,l1ua IN
epoch OF history. Never imagine for a ain
gle moment that the Gettysburg piano.
rama will bore you, or that it ranks with
the ordinary panoramic visit to tame
lands and scriptural places. This wonder
full painting is as unlike the average piano.
rama as spice differs from marble dust, or
champagne from tepid tea.
Washington Post: The whole State Of
Minnesota has enjoyed marvellous growth,
having grown more than so per cent since